Appliance for picking up balls employed in table-tennis or other games.



1 "No; 721,196. 1 111111111111 FEB. 24,1993.

1 1 V E. A. JEFFREYS.

APPLIANCE P011 110mm UP BALLS-EMPLOYED 111 TABLE TENNIS 011 OTHER GAMES.

APPLIOATIOH IILIID MAB. 11 1902.

I0 IODEL.

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114: norms PETER! cu. mam-Una, wupmcn'on. n. c.-,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD AUGUSTUS JEFFREYS, OF MOSELEY, NEAR BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

APPLIANCE FOR PlCKING UP BALLS EMPLOYED IN TABLE-TENNIS OR OTHER GAMES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 721,196, datedFebruary 24, 1903.

Application filed March 11,1902. Serial No. 97,774. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD AUGUSTUS J EF- FREYS, a subject of the Kingof Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of Thistlewood, Coppiceroad, Moseley, near Birmingham, England, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Appliances for Picking Up Balls Employed inTable-Tennis or other Games, (for which I have filed an application inGreat Britain, No. 2,791, hearing date February 4, 1902,) of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention has for its object the construction in a simpleandinexpensive manner of appliances for the ready and convenient pickingup of the balls employed in tabletennis and other games.

My invention comprises the combination,

with a suitable stick or handle part, of a cagelike receptacle formedfrom a spiral spring with coils having intervening spaces of a widthsomewhat less than the diameter of the balls, but which extend at anypart to admit a ball without releasing those that may be already withinthe spring. 7

Referring to the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings, Figure 1 isa side elevation, and Fig. 2 an end elevation, of a ball picker-upconstructedin accordance with my invention. Fig. 3 is an elevationrepresenting a modified form of my picker-up.

The type of my ball picker-up, as shown at Figs. 1 and 2, has a cage orreceptacle which is made from a single length of wire wound or coiledinto the particular spiral form illustrated and with extensions to formthe fork a for attachment in any convenient manner to the handle part b.The space or distance between the coils is somewhat less than thediameter of the balls, as c, to be picked up; but on pressing any partof the spring upon a ball the space between any two adjacent coils attheir points of contact with the ball will widen or extend sufficientlyto admit the ball to the interior ofthe spring; butno other portion ofthe space between the coils will widen sufficiently to permit of theescape of a ball already within the spring, and immediately a ball hasbeen forced into the spring, as aforesaid, the coils will return totheir normal position. The discharge or withdrawal of the balls can beeffected by forcing apart the coils with the fingers, or I sometimesprovide a discharge-aperture at one end of the spring. I

In the type as illustrated at Fig. 3 I combine the spring with asupporting-ring, as d, around which the spring is wound in the mannerillustrated.

By forming the cage or receptacle from a wire spring in the mannerdescribed balls can be readily picked up from under furniture or whenlying in corners, against a wall, or in any other awkward position, foras any part of the spring cage or receptacle will open when pressed uponor against a ball or balls the appliance will act equally well atwhatever angle the operating stick or handle is placed with thefloor-level.

For clearness of illustration all the balls in Fig. 3 and some of themin Figs. 1 and 2 are shown by dotted lines.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In appliances for picking up balls, the combination with an operatingstick or handle of a coiled-spring cage having the coils arranged inplanes parallel with the handle substantially as described. I

2. In appliances for picking up halls, the combination consisting of anoperating stick or handle and a coiled-spring cage having extensionsforming a fork for attachment to the said handle the said coils beingarranged in planes parallel with the handle, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twowitnesses.

Witnesses:

EDWARD MARKS, HERBERT BOWKETT.

EDWARD AUGUSTUS Jnrrrnrsf f-

